16 June 2023 , 11:28
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As the temperatures soar, it can be all too tempting to head into the garden, set up a paddling pool, whack on the SPF and sit out in the sunshine all day while keeping cool.
Taking care of your plants may fall by the wayside, however, but the heatwave could spell disaster for your garden as the warm weather impacts them too.
Your first thought may be to water your beloved flowers and bushes during the day, but this can actually wreak havoc on your garden, causing plants to scorch which is not good for them, and can even cause them to perish.
You want your garden to flourish during the summer (Stock Image) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Mark Lane, a presenter and QVC gardening expert explained that watering plants during the day time, when the sun is hottest, is one of the "worst mistakes" any gardener can make, especially during hot weather.
He said: "One of the worst mistakes you can make is to water your plants at the wrong time.
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"The best time is early in the morning when the outdoor temperature is cooler, between 5pm and 9am, resulting in less water lost to evaporation."
The expert added that "early morning is preferable to late evening watering" as the plant can "dry off quickly which helps protect against the development of fungal diseases."
Watering plants at night poses its own risks, as it can cause "water pooling on the soil's surface, around the roots and on foliage" which can lead to unwanted "fungal growth, rot, insects, and even the death of a plant."
Watering plants at night can be just as bad (Stock Image) (Getty Images/Image Source)And he's not the only expert sharing advice for the current weather conditions, gardening gurus at Power Sheds have offered crucial tips for protecting plants during the heat.
To start, they say you should move all plants that are in containers into a shaded area as container plants are the first to dry out in a heatwave and they'll perish quickly if left.
By moving plants into the shade, they won't feel the full heat as the sun peaks at midday.
The second crucial and little-known tip is that you should not overwater your lawn.
Whilst it's very tempting to quench your garden's thirst, watering the lawn excessively can do more damage than good during a heatwave as it can leave it scorched.
If you follow this advice, your garden could be perfect this summer (Stock Image) (Getty Images)To keep your lawn looking thick and green, it only requires minimal watering - once a week should do, and your mowing routine should drop to once a week.
The gardening experts advise adjusting the blades on a mower with a higher setting to ensure the grass stems provide maximum shade for the soil.
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Power Sheds gardening experts said: "The biggest risk to plants in high temperature is the soil drying out, your first line of defence against this should be to use a layer of mulch around plants to help the soil stay moist after watering.
"There are many different mulch materials gardeners can use during a heatwave, dry grass clippings from your lawn are a great option."
Also, ensuring that you have the right pots is key to ensuring that your garden stays hydrated for as long as possible.
"An unsealed terracotta pot can cause the water to evaporate a lot easier from the soil which will get the plant to dry and die a lot sooner," the experts explained.
The simple best solution is to either get an already sealed terracotta pot or seal it with a specialised sealer.
"Same goes for black plastic pots that attract all the heat due to their colour," they added.
"Opt for light coloured ones that instead will reflect the sunlight."
Do you have any gardening hacks for the heatwave? Email: [email protected]